Love Remains The Same
by Kyriana42
Summary: An elaboration of Chapter 3  with an alternate ending  from No Roads Left. Jenny's fiancé breaks off their engagement and kicks her out. Seeking a temporary home in the ARC, she finds romance with Connor. As time moves on, will Jenny find true happiness?
1. First Time

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!!!**

**So, after searching all over, I couldn't find a Connor/Jenny fic. I think they had some chemistry going on throughout the show. Basically, this is the result of a possible relationship that occurred in my other fic No Roads Left. Let me know what you think!!!**

**Enjoy!!**

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_Everything will change,_

_But love remains the same_

_**- Love Remains The Same by Gavin Rossdale**_

**Chapter 1: First Time**

Jenny unlocked the door to the huge house she shared with her fiancé, she was beginning to think that something was wrong with her because she was starting to enjoy going to work just a little too much. At least she managed to grab a shower and change her clothes before leaving the ARC; she'd have had some trouble explaining exactly why her dress was covered in dirt.

It was maybe 2 a.m. Today had been a long day, Cutter and Stephen were nearly lost forever on the opposite side of an anomaly, and Connor nearly had a heart attack when the second anomaly alert went off and it turned out that it was the anomaly that Stephen and Cutter had come out of.

Jenny giggled at the thought of Connor at that particular memory. She wasn't entirely sure, whether Connor knew it or not, but she had noticed the way he had been staring at her yesterday when she'd shown up at the ARC in her engagement party dress.

Cutter had stared at her as well, but not the way Connor had. She pushed it to the back of her mind. She was getting married soon. She couldn't be having second thoughts about anything, now; but she couldn't shake the thought of how nice it might be to be with someone like Connor.

She set her keys down on the table and nearly tripped over the few suitcases that were placed just inside the door.

"That's odd." She muttered as she looked around for her fiancé.

She saw him sitting on one of the couches in the living room near a light.

"Hey you, why are you still up? Are we-are we going on a trip or something?" Jenny asked nervously.

"No, you're leaving Jenny."

Jenny shook her head as if she hadn't heard him right. "Sorry?"

"What's his name Jenny?" he asked standing up.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jenny replied honestly.

"The bloke you've been out all times of the day and night with!" He shouted at her.

"I haven't _been_ with _anyone_! What is this about?"

"I'm breaking off the engagement. You embarrassed my mother and everyone at the engagement party when you rushed off after your phone went off! I'm done, trying to turn a blind eye, just take your stuff that I've already packed and get out. I never want to see you again!" He explained as he turned his back to her.

Tears began to spill from Jenny's eye, smearing her make-up. "You-you can't be serious! You think that's why I haven't been home as much lately?"

"Well, what else am I to believe when my fiancée goes awoll for 48 hours without so much as a phone call?"

"I'm sorry that my job requires me to work a lot of hours!"

"Me too." He replied sitting back down on the couch. "You know where the door is.

Jenny didn't know what else to do. She turned, tears still spilling from her eyes. She picked up the few bags, packed them in her car and began driving.

She wasn't exactly sure of where she would go, but for some reason, the more she thought about it, the ARC seemed like the only logical place to go at the moment.

She had nowhere else to go and the ARC would only be temporary until she could find a place of her own. She entered the ARC, not caring about the makeup smeared all over her normally beautiful complexion. Her high heels clicking against the linoleum floors gave her the chills.

The echoes it made sounded something similar to a lost soul walking in a mausoleum, so she took off the heels and wandered around the ARC looking for the coffee room, only to bump into Connor as she rounded the corner.

Jenny had screamed in surprise because she forgot that Connor liked to make his own hours of work.

"Jenny?"

"Connor."

"What you doing here?" he had asked.

She said nothing, she fell into Connor crying. Connor just stood there holding her in his arms while she cried. When she was able to talk again, her eyes swollen from crying, she explained her story to him.

Surprisingly enough, he didn't laugh- not that she expected him to. He simply wiped her tears away and guided her to the lounge and made her some coffee.

"It'll be alright, Jenny." He'd said.

"How, Connor? How is it going to be alright if I have nowhere to live anymore? I'm homeless!" She sobbed hysterically.

"Well, um, tell you what, we'll take the day off tomorrow and look for an apartment or something where you can live temporarily-or permanently if you like."

"What about everyone else? I don't think they'd appreciate our skipping work tomorrow."

Connor waved his hand, "Nah, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm already into overtime and Lester's close to lynching me anyways."

Jenny couldn't help but laugh. It was true though, she happened to walk into Lester's office one day to hear him complaining to Cutter about Connor's overtime.

_"Cutter, if you don't deal with Temple's addiction to seeing how much money he can cost the ARC before Boxing Day very soon, then I will." Lester fumed._

_Cutter chuckled. "Connor's doing his best to come up with tools for us to better predict the anomalies, I think we at least owe him some gratitude for the work he's done."_

_Lester sighed, "if only I had the power to fire certain people here."_

_Cutter smiled and walked out of the office leaving behind a slightly more fuming Lester in his wake._

Connor put his arm around Jenny, "come on Jenny, we'll get you a cup of tea and maybe a cot to sleep on." He said as he guided her down the corridor toward the lounge.

Tomorrow was sure to be an interesting day if they could get away with playing hooky and live to tell the tale.

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	2. Someone Who Cares

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 2:**** Someone Who Cares**

Connor and Jenny slipped out of the ARC in the early hours of the morning before the first round of employees came in.

"We can take my car," Jenny said walking briskly to her car.

"Good, cos, I kinda don't have one anyways." Connor replied smiling as he got into the car with Jenny.

Connor sat down in the passenger seat, 'Jenny's car's pretty comfy. Probably shouldn't touch anything, though.' He thought to himself.

"Right, so, where should we start looking first?" Jenny asked almost excitedly.

"Wherever, you'd like. I don't normally go looking for flats or stuff like that; but probably just outside town, there's bound to be some nice little cozy place with our name on it." Connor smiled.

Connor quickly realized what he'd said and corrected himself, "your name, I-I meant your name. Mine won't be on it."

Jenny stifled a laugh and kept driving.

"We should—we should probably turn our mobiles off, so they can't call us." Connor said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, the last we need is a call from Cutter running up our phone bills." Jenny laughed as she and Connor turned off their mobiles.

"Yep," Connor chuckled, "and I'm totally sorry that he compared you to a velociraptor the other day." Connor blurted out, looking at Jenny.

"What?" Jenny asked incredulously, eyes darting back and forth from the road to Connor.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, he said it in reply to what I said."

"And what did you say?" Jenny asked trying not to sound angry.

"I said you looked amazing." Connor blurted out again without thinking.

Jenny looked at him shock and amazement across her face.

"Ok, I'm just gonna shut up for the rest of the day now, possibly the rest of my days at the ARC." Connor blushed noticing her facial expression and turned to look out the window at the passing scenery.

"No, it's-it's ok, Connor. I'm glad you stuck up for me." She smiled.

* * *

Cutter walked into the ARC to see Lester standing on the ramp, just inside the door.

"You're late." Lester greeted.

"So fire me."

"We can all dream." Lester replied walking back up to his office.

'Déjà vu.' Cutter thought shaking his head laughing to himself.

He walked into the main office area to see Stephen and Abby at Abby's desk talking and laughing.

"Where's Connor?" Cutter asked.

"Dunno, he said he was staying late last night. He never came home last night." Abby answered.

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere sleeping on a cot or looking frantically for some caffeine." Stephen reassured them.

About an hour or so later, Cutter returned to Stephen and Abby, "well, I searched the entire damn building and couldn't find Connor anywhere."

Stephen tried calling Connor's mobile; but was greeted with his voicemail.

"Huh, that's weird, I got his voicemail." Stephen mused.

"No, that's not possible; Connor always has his phone on." Abby tried to reason.

Abby then tried to phone Connor and was greeted with the voicemail as well.

"That's not like Connor to leave his mobile off and not show up for work." She commented.

"Where's Miss Sunshine?" Cutter asked.

"You mean Jenny?" Stephen asked. "I usually see her when I'm pulling into the parking lot in the morning; but I don't think I saw her this morning."

* * *

"How long till they notice we're not coming to work today?" Connor asked curiously.

"If I know anything about Cutter, he'll probably be figuring it out right about now."

"We're dead meat, tomorrow."

"Hmm," Jenny mused, "we should start working on our wills now."

"So totally worth skipping today, though." Connor commented, "I really needed the break. Thanks, Jenny."

Jenny suddenly hit the breaks and Connor went flying against his seatbelt.

"Ow." Connor said a few minutes after gravity flung him back into the seat.

"That's it! That's the perfect place to live!" Jenny beamed with excitement.

"Come on, Connor!" She called as she jumped out of her car.

Connor tried to quickly unbuckle, hitting himself in the face with the seatbelt, and got out of the car, running to catch up with Jenny.

There was an old man, who was finishing hammering the sign into the ground.

Connor caught up to Jenny walking along side her rubbing his face where he had hit himself with the seatbelt.

"Excuse me," Jenny called.

The old man looked up at them.

"How much do you want for the townhouse?" Connor asked.

"Eh? You two lovebirds looking to buy this ol' townhouse?" The old man asked.

Connor and Jenny looked at each other.

"Oh, we're not-"

"No, just friends." Connor stated.

For some reason, Connor's statement hurt Jenny.

"Whatever you want," The old man laughed. "You could pay all the money up front, or you could rent to own."

"I think it would probably be better if I rent to own." Jenny replied as she wrote the old man a check and handed it to him.

"Thanks Miss. The paperwork will be in the mail. Or I'll drop it off sometime this week." The Old Man said taking the check and handing Jenny the keys as he got into his car and drove off.

* * *

Connor and Jenny entered the townhouse. It was beautiful, despite being scarce on furniture.

"I love it." Jenny complemented.

"Yeah, a little furniture and some lights, this place could be really homey." Connor replied.

Jenny couldn't help it; she turned and pulled Connor into a hug.

"What's that for?" Connor asked surprised, returning the hug.

"For being there and for risking the wrath of Lester and possibly Cutter to help me find somewhere to live."

"It was nothing, really." Connor looked around awkwardly, "um, since we have the rest of the day, Jenny, do you want to maybe look for some furniture? I mean, so you have at least something to sleep on?"

* * *

Finding furniture took nearly the rest of the day, but after much indecision, Jenny decided to just settle on a bed and a couch, hoping to finish furniture shopping little by little.

She and Connor, by themselves, moved the bed and the couch into the townhouse. They left both the bed and the couch in the living room and sat down on the couch. The sun was just about completely set.

"Whew, I'm beat." Connor exhaled.

"Me too," Jenny agreed, resting her head on Connor's chest, not even thinking about what she was doing.

Connor looked around; he could barely see anything other than Jenny and a few feet from where they were sitting.

"Probably should've got a lamp or something." Connor said breaking tiredly, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," Jenny muttered, "I'll probably get something tomorrow."

Somehow, it just felt right. Right here right now, she was with someone who truly seemed to understand and care about her.

Jenny lifted her head and stared into Connor's eyes.

Connor noticed this and his eyes looked away and returned to meet Jenny's. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Suddenly, Jenny didn't care anymore, her lips met with Connor's; and much to both of their surprise, Connor returned the kiss with the same passion.

They kissed for what seemed forever, when Connor broke the kiss.

"What about Cutter?" he asked worriedly.

"What about him?"

"I thought that you fancied him?"

"No, and he only fancies whoever this Claudia Brown is. My name is Jenny Lewis. You said yourself he doesn't like me. That velociraptor comment was enough to prove it. What about Abby?"

"I don't think Abby is ever going to tell me if she feels the same way I once did about her. Tomorrow will be a different story though, huh?" Connor asked with slight worry lining his voice.

"Connor," Jenny began.

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow won't be a different story; I promise; but we should probably work on an alibi."

Connor, whose hands were still on either side of Jenny's head pulled her back toward him and they continued to kiss, their fingers twisting in each other's hair in the night-covered townhouse.

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	3. Double Trouble

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 3:**** Double Trouble**

Connor mumbled something incoherent in the early morning light as he felt a weight on his chest. His eye flitted open to see that he was lying on a couch in an otherwise bare room wearing yesterday's clothes.

He tilted his head to see a bundle of dark brown hair scattered, as Jenny lay peacefully resting on him on the couch. Connor laid his head back down, his arm still wrapped around Jenny, and smiled.

'It wasn't a dream.' He thought smiling.

'He had lived with Abby for nearly two years and even confessed that he loved her; but she _never_ once admitted similar feelings, nor would she consider sleeping on a couch with him; but here he was and here Jenny was, lying on a couch in yesterday's clothes recovering from yesterday's escapade. If only Cutter knew where they really—Cutter?

'Dammit!' Connor mentally cursed trying to find his mobile in his pocket without waking Jenny.

Connor had absolutely no sense of what time it was, nor did he grasp how much trouble he and Jenny were both going to be in when they did eventually show up at the ARC.

Connor found his mobile, without waking up Jenny, and turned it on. It didn't occur to him until after he turned it on that it wasn't on silent; but the highest possible volume. He fumbled with the mobile trying to turn the volume down, when the mobile slipped out of his hand and hit the ground.

He tried to grab it as it continued to make various noises alerting him of all the messages that his teammates had left for him in his absence.

Connor tried to grab the beeping mobile off the floor, while attempting to not let Jenny fall off the couch, until he accidentally knocked the mobile under the couch and could no longer reach it to silence it.

He squeezed his eyes shut and hit his head off the couch.

'Perfect.' He scolded himself.

Jenny stirred and opened her eyes, becoming quickly familiar with her surroundings.

She sat up, staring at Connor, rubbing her eyes.

"What is that blasted noise?"

"That would be the sound of our jobs getting flushed down the toilet. And that would be my legs going numb; can you please get up Jenny?"

"Sorry." Jenny replied jumping to her feet and looking under the couch, reaching to grab Connor's mobile, while he lamented his sleep-heavy legs.

"Connor," Jenny spoke.

"Yeah?"

"I think you might have just made history with the longest phone bill ever." Jenny explained handing him his phone.

"Oh God," Connor said holding one hand to his head while the other grasped his mobile.

"104 missed calls, 34 voicemails, and 99 text messages."

"I bet I can tell you what they all say." Jenny challenged.

"Yeah, me too." Connor replied.

"They'll say something like 'Connor Temple, your days of fighting dinosaurs are numbered!'" He spoke with a Scottish accent which caused Jenny to laugh.

"I'm serious!" Connor defended. "We set one foot in the ARC and we're dead."

"You worry too much, Connor." Jenny laughed, "Let's not forget who handles all the cover stories for the ARC."

"Oh," Connor realized, "you're good."

Connor cleared the screen to check the time and promptly turned pale.

"What's wrong?" Jenny asked concerned.

Connor showed her the phone to reveal that they had approximately 30 minutes to report for work, excluding the fact that they still needed to shower and changed clothes.

* * *

Jenny ran out to her car and grabbed an outfit and changed in her bathroom.

"Well, you look nice; but that's not exactly solving my problem." Connor frowned.

Jenny held up a shopping bag.

Connor eyes went back and forth between Jenny and the bag, before he finally took it.

"Come on, Connor, we haven't got much time."

Connor looked in the bag as he raced to the bathroom to quickly change.

When he came back down, he found that Jenny was waiting for him in the car. As he hopped into the car he gave her a puzzled look.

"How—how did you-?"

"Lucky guess," Jenny smiled, returning her eyes to the road.

* * *

As Connor and Jenny entered the ARC, Connor turned to Jenny as they walked down the main corridor.

"Jenny, just wanted to say that us turning up together 5 minutes late is really not gonna go over well with Cutter."

Jenny stopped and turned to him, "Connor, everything's going to be fine."

As they started to walk the rest of the way, Connor muttered, "Nice knowing ya."

Connor was right, in a way. The pair of them showing up for work together, caused quite a bit of confusion amongst the rest of the team. However, the only two who asked questions we're Abby and Cutter.

Stephen didn't ask any questions, but somehow, he knew that she and Connor had spent the last 24 hours together.

"Where have been, Connor?" Abby asked. "You never came home and I was worried."

"I was…out….with some mates….from university?" Connor made his lie sound more like a question than an actual statement.

"For the last 24 hours?" Cutter asked.

Damn it. Everyone knew that Connor couldn't lie to Cutter. That was like holding a cigarette in your hand and looking your dad in the eye saying "I wasn't smoking."

"No, I was here all night the other day, got a couple of hours of sleep on a cot and Duncan called and asked if I wanted to join him and the guys for a science-fiction movie marathon and I just couldn't resist." Jenny and Connor could not believe that he had just lied to Cutter with a straight face, even Stephen was in shock.

Cutter just shrugged and accepted it. Then, he turned on Jenny.

"What about you?"

"Every girl needs sometime off every now and then from this monster madness we deal with everyday here."

"What if we needed you?" Cutter asked.

"But you didn't."

"Yeah, and you both were just damn lucky there wasn't an anomaly." That said, Cutter turned on his heel and walked furiously toward his office. Abby and Stephen returning to their work stations exchanging a few whispers.

Connor and Jenny just stood there staring at one another.

"I can't believe that you just lied to him, Connor."

"Me neither. Imagine the shock when he finds out where we really were."

A smile lit up on Jenny's lips, "you mean _if_ he finds out."

"If is good." Connor remarked smiling.

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	4. Easy Come, Easy Go

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN. DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 4****: Easy Come, Easy Go**

Later that week, Connor, half-heartedly agreed to go home with Abby, who was starting to over-worry herself thinking that Connor was spending too many late nights working at the ARC.

"Connor, please come home tonight." Abby begged. "The world won't disappear if you stop overworking for one night."

"Ya never know these days." Connor joked, trying to find an excuse to stay so he could leave with Jenny.

His mobile went off and his eyes instinctively darted to Jenny, who nodded, and back to Abby.

"Yeah, you're right. Some sleep would do me good." He smiled as he and Abby departed.

He quickly read the text message and deleted it. Jenny had basically said for him to go ahead home with Abby, because [Jenny] was backed up with some paperwork.

Connor text her back saying that he would talk to Stephen about coming over sometime in the next few days to move the furniture.

* * *

Jenny sat at her desk tiredly finalizing paperwork. She had to stay late anyway and told Connor not to wait for her. Little did she know that Cutter would confront her soon afterwards.

Her mobile went off alerting her to a text message. She hit ignore. She'd read it later, when she was leaving the ARC.

"Jenny," Cutter began, as he came over to her desk.

Jenny was startled to hear Cutter's voice; but didn't look up from her paperwork ashamed that Cutter might find the truth hiding behind her brown eyes.

"What is it Cutter? I'm very busy."

"I know that there is something going on between you and Connor." He said firmly.

Jenny's head shot up and looked straight into Cutter's blue eyes.

"Excuse me?" Jenny asked, anger tinting her voice.

"Connor has been acting very strange lately and so have you. Ever since that day the two of you called off, I suspected that something was up."

Jenny gathered her things and started to walk towards the door. "I don't have to explain anything to you Nick."

"But I have to explain something to you."

She stopped. 'I don't have time for this.' She thought.

"I love you, Jenny." He spoke softly.

Jenny turned around, half-smiling "No, no Nick, you love Claudia Brown. I have someone. We, we just weren't meant to be."

"What about your fiancé? Does he know you're beating around the bush?"

Jenny dropped her things and marched right back in front of Cutter and looked him in the eye.

"For your information, Professor Cutter, my fiancé left me nearly a week and a half ago and who I am with now, is none of your business."

Cutter seemed to be ignoring Jenny's angry words toward him. He put his right hand at the back of Jenny's head and pulled her towards his lips and proceeded to kiss her.

His kisses were different than Connor's. Cutter's kisses were slightly more demanding and desperate, whereas Connor's were soft and completing.

Jenny managed to stop herself from her musings and slapped Cutter across the face. He let her go.

"What's wrong with you, Nick? You-you think that just because you force me to kiss you, you'll be able to sway my affections?" She shook her head. "Goodnight and good bye, Professor."

Nick Cutter stood there in shock as Jenny walked away, picking up her things and marching out of the ARC without even looking back at him.

'Dammit,' he thought angrily, 'if only she didn't look so much like Claudia.'

* * *

Connor fell onto his bed. It felt so comfortingly weird. It was definitely better than sleeping on a cot and slightly better than sleeping on a couch.

He tried to stay awake to go over the past week's events over in his head; but sleep overtook him.

* * *

When Abby and Connor pulled into the ARC the next morning, Connor spotted Stephen walking from his car and darted over to him, leaving a confused Abby in his wake.

"Stephen!" Connor called as Stephen stopped to wait for him.

"Stephen, are you busy after we get off work later?"

"Not that I know of, why?"

"I sorta need your help with something." Connor replied.

"What did you do this time?"

"Nothing." Connor quickly replied. "Well, nothing that's gonna get me in trouble. Anyways, are you in?"

"If you tell me what I'm _helping_ you with." Stephen answered.

"We need to move some furniture at Jenny's townhouse." Connor explained.

Stephen made a skeptical face.

"Dinner's on me." Connor added, patting [Connor's] chest.

Stephen chuckled. "Sure."

"Cool." Connor replied walking and then stopped. "Actually, I'd need a ride there."

"An explanation for a lift?" Stephen wagered,

"Deal." Connor nodded.

* * *

"Ready to go?" Abby asked walking over to Connor.

"Actually, me and Stephen are gonna hang out tonight." Connor replied proudly.

Abby made a face, "and do what?"

Connor cleared his throat and made a face, "man stuff. Ya know, hit up the pub, and swap…battle stories."

"Connor, you don't have _any_ battle stories." Abby replied hitting him playfully.

"Connor," Stephen called walking over to them.

"Battle stories and pubs?" Abby asked raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Stephen asked oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place.

Stephen looked at Connor, who was beaming at some ridiculously bad lie he must've told that he assumed sounded good at the time.

"Look, Abby," Stephen began, "I don't know what Connor just said; but all we're doing is going to hang out for a bit and then head home."

Abby faked a smile, "Yep, enjoy your battle stories and pubs." She called as she walked out of the Main Operations Room.

Stephen looked back at Connor with a scolding look on his face. "And so the story mounts, Connor."

"What?" Connor asked innocently.

"By the time we get to Jenny's, you're gonna have written a book from the explanations you're gonna be spilling." Stephen explained as he and Connor headed toward the truck.

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	5. Battle Stories and Pubs

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**** ;)**

**Chapter 5****: Battle Stories and Pubs**

"So what exactly did you tell Abby?" Stephen asked as he started up the truck and pulled out of the ARC parking lot.

"All I told her was that we were gonna hang out tonight." Connor answered.

"Then what was she talking about when she said 'battle stories and pubs'?" Stephen asked skeptically.

"She asked what we were gonna do and I told her we were going to pubs and swapping battle stories." Connor explained with a smile.

"Connor, you don't have _any_ battle stories." Stephen stated as he turned onto the main road.

Connor threw up his arms in exasperation. "Why does everyone keep saying that? I'm not just a mass of intellect, ya know."

* * *

Jenny had set up a few lamps in the living room and a couple rooms that didn't have lighting. She had just finished filling out the paperwork that the old man had finally gotten around to sending to her.

It had been a few days since Cutter had kissed her and Jenny wasn't able to shake it from her mind.

Connor had called earlier and explained that he and Stephen were on their way.

Jenny shook her head. She had to remember that she was with Connor and that Cutter was just some poor, confused man, who thought that she was some woman he used to love.

"It wasn't even that good of a kiss!" She shouted to the empty room throwing her hands up in the air.

* * *

"I'm just guessing here, because I highly doubt that you or Jenny told the truth to Cutter and Abby a couple weeks ago; but neither of you were in two different places that day, were you?" Stephen asked as he drove.

Connor gulped, unable of what to say.

"I'm not going to tell Abby or Nick, I promise." Stephen added, glancing at Connor, then back at the road.

"Not exactly; ya see, Jenny's fiancé sort of kicked her out of the house and broke off the engagement. Total jerk if y'ask me. I mean, who wouldn't want to marry Jenny?" Connor blurted out.

"So what you're saying is she came to you for help and you want to marry her?" Stephen asked confusedly.

"No, no." Connor waved his hands. "I was staying late that night and I was trying to be a good friend and things just sort of went from there."

"So, you don't want to marry Jenny?" Stephen asked trying to piece things together.

"One day, maybe. I dunno. It's too early to say." Connor replied.

"Aren't you forgetting some people?" Stephen asked looking back and forth between the road and Connor.

"Hm?"

"Caroline and Abby."

"Oh, I broke things off with Caroline a while ago."

"By text and she stole Rex, so I hear." Stephen stated.

"I'm not really sure about Abby, though. I'm pretty sure she wants to kill me after the whole Caroline thing." Connor spoke.

"Didn't you tell Abby you loved her?" Stephen recalled.

"Yeah, but, we never really talked about it. Honestly, I don't think it would've worked out between us anyways."

"She needs to know that, mate. You can't go running around sending mixed signals like that."

"But you do it all the time." Connor pointed out.

"Touché."

"So, where did you and Jenny sleep since you obviously never went back to Abby's flat?" Stephen asked after an award silence changing the subject slightly.

"Jenny bought a bed and a couch; but since there wasn't a mattress with the bed, we ended up sleeping together on the couch." Connor answered.

Stephen raised an eyebrow at Connor.

Connor, who had just realized the phrasing he'd chosen, started wailing his arms defensively, blushing.

"Nonono, I didn't mean it that way!"

"Really?"

"No, we kissed and then, fell asleep on the couch, in our clothes." Connor smiled.

"You don't believe me, do ya?" Connor asked slightly hurt.

"Of course I do." Stephen replied sarcastically as he pat Connor on the shoulder.

* * *

Stephen and Connor had to make a detour to the pizza place, because Connor couldn't remember Jenny's address in pizza terms. Stephen, however, believed that Connor, who clearly knew Jenny's address, considering the time he spent there, was doing so to be romantic; and Stephen suddenly and inadvertently began to feel like a third-wheel.

* * *

Stephen and Connor arrived at Jenny shortly after seven pm.

Connor was the first to the door and rang the doorbell.

"Who is it?" Jenny asked from behind the door.

"Pizza delivery." Connor called, in possibly the worst fake Italian accent Stephen and Jenny had ever heard.

Jenny opened the door to let them in.

"Pizza, again?" Jenny asked cynically.

"Happy to see you too." Connor replied, pretending to sound hurt as he leaned in and kissed Jenny.

Stephen cleared his throat as they entered the townhouse and closed the door behind them.

* * *

Stephen and Connor had managed to move the furniture to Jenny's specifications fairly quickly and were finished completely, for the time being, by about ten-thirty.

"Wow, look at the time," Stephen commented looking at his watch.

"It's only ten-thirty." Jenny noted.

"Yeah, well, I promised that Connor and I were going to a pub for a drink and I need to wake up early tomorrow." Stephen commented.

Jenny looked at Connor, confused.

Connor beamed. "Man stuff, ya know. Pubs and battle stories."

"Right." Jenny nodded, her expression sarcastic.

"Right, let's go, lover boy. See ya later, Jenny." Stephen interrupted as he dragged Connor towards the truck.

Connor waved at Jenny as Stephen pulled him out the door.

"Can't I just—say goodbye—properly?" Connor whined as they neared the truck.

* * *

"Are we seriously gonna go to a pub before we call it a night?" Connor asked curiously as they drove away from Jenny's townhouse.

"We should've called it a night awhile ago." Stephen mumbled.

"What?" Connor asked, having not heard what Stephen mumbled.

"I think I need a drink." Stephen answered.

* * *

"So, why Jenny?" Stephen asked as he sipped his beer.

"Cutter told me to find a nice girl and life would seem a lot less confusing." Connor explained innocently as he stared at his wine cooler.

"That was before the whole anomaly thing started." Stephen pointed out.

Connor didn't seem to be listening to Stephen as he moved the wine cooler bottle back and forth debating whether to drink it.

"Are you gonna drink that?" Stephen inquired, watching in amusement at Connor deciding whether or not to drink it.

"Not sure. I think Cutter's mad at me." Connor answered distantly.

"Nah, I think he's just under a lot of stress and everything that's been going on lately. Don't take it personally." Stephen consoled.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Connor replied as he attempted to down the wine cooler; but ended up coughing.

"You're not meant to chug wine coolers, mate." Stephen explained as he watched Connor gasp for breath.

"Ya know, I l-love this job. Soo much." Connor stuttered drunkenly.

"I think you've had enough, mate." Stephen announced as he pulled the drink away from Connor. "You're a lightweight aren't you?"

"Light as a feather!" Connor shouted.

"I'm not taking you back to Abby's flat, like this, she'll kill me and you. I'll probably be first." Stephen explained.

"Look," Connor said, pointing a finger at Stephen. "I'm not as think as you drunk I am."

Almost immediately after finishing that sentence, Connor's head hit the table.

"I think you're gonna spend the night at my flat." Stephen mumbled as he finished his beer.

"One for the road please!" Stephen called to the barman.

"I'm so dead tomorrow." Stephen muttered as he watched Connor sleep in a drunken stupor on the bar table.

* * *

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	6. The Hangover

**Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue!**

**Chapter 6****: The Hangover**

The next morning, there was pounding on the door to Stephen's flat.

Stephen shot up in his bed. "What the hell?"

He rolled out of bed; all he was wearing were his boxers and sweat pants. He passed Connor, who was still passed out on the couch, on his way to the door.

Stephen took a deep breath and opened the door, to see a slightly fuming Abby standing in the door way.

"Abby." Stephen greeted, surprised to see her.

"What the hell happened last night?" Abby asked concerned.

"Sorry?" Stephen asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"You and Connor said you were going to a few pubs and then going home. Connor never came home, what the hell did the two of you get yourselves into?"

Stephen leaned in and pressed his lips against Abby's, who returned the kiss.

"That's not going to get you off the hook," Abby smiled, breaking the kiss.

"Where's my flatmate?" Abby asked, her hands on her hips.

Just then, they heard a loud bang.

* * *

Connor stirred in his sleep. He kept hearing some crazy drum solo.

Trying to turn over to block out the sound, he fell off of the couch, and cracked his head on the coffee table as he hit the floor.

He looked around, groggily, trying to figure out where he was. He couldn't really remember what happened last night, only that he was hopefully somewhere safe. He let his head drop back down, hitting the floor, causing him to moan in pain.

* * *

Abby closed the front door as she and Stephen ran toward the origin of the noise.

They found Connor lying on the floor mumbling to himself.

"Oh my God, he's drunk! I can't believe you got him drunk, Stephen!" Abby cried as she bent down to help Connor sit up.

"He's not drunk, Abby. He's hung-over, it's perfectly normal." Stephen answered as he helped Abby place Connor back on the couch.

"That doesn't make it any better, Stephen." Abby scolded.

"Head." Connor mumbled.

Abby moved some of Connor's hair to the side and noticed a medium-sized red mark that would soon become a black and blue mark.

"How the hell are we going to explain this to Cutter?" Abby cried as she ran into Stephen's kitchen to get something frozen to put on Connor's head.

"It'll be fine, Abby." Stephen reassured her.

"Connor is hung-over and shortly will have a big bruise on his head and he's supposed to go into work today?"

"Well, yeah, but not like this." Stephen replied.

Abby glared at Stephen. "Unless you have some miracle drug that's gonna cure him, we're dead."

"Abby, have some faith in me," Stephen pleaded.

She raised an eyebrow at him, trying to ignore the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Connor," Stephen called slapping Connor's cheek.

"Hmm?"

"Breakfast time."

"Breakfast? Are you kidding? He'll pass out right in his breakfast!" Abby interjected.

"What is it?" Connor muttered.

"Abby, lead him into the kitchen." Stephen instructed as he dashed off to the kitchen.

* * *

Abby helped Connor to sit down at the kitchen table as Stephen set a jalapeño and a diet Coke in front of him.

Abby skeptically looked back and forth between Stephen and what he had set down on the table.

"Is this really going to work?"

"Work for my roommate in college." Stephen smirked.

They watched closely as Connor picked up the jalapeño and ate it whole. Stephen quickly cracked open the diet Coke as Connor's eyes shot open, tears streaming from the spicy jalapeño.

Connor quickly downed the whole can and set it on the table, burping loudly.

"'scuse me." he mumbled.

"Come on, Conn," Stephen encouraged as he led Connor to the bathroom.

* * *

"Stephen, you're not seriously going to do what I think you are, are you?" Abby asked worriedly.

"Yep, just run back to the flat and get him some fresh clothes." Stephen explained as he placed Connor in the shower and turned the cold water on full blast.

Connor shot up in the shower screaming nearly every profanity under the sun.

Abby and Stephen stifled a laugh as Abby left to run back to the flat to get Connor a fresh set of clothes.

"That was easily the meanest thing you've ever done to me, Stephen." Connor spoke as he found the lever to turn off the water.

"Sorry, but I had to cure you're hangover before Abby lynched me." Stephen laughed.

"Abby was here?" Connor asked surprised.

Abby and Stephen had been an off and on couple because of the whole trust thing and Helen's bombshell a while back. Connor didn't really mind; but he couldn't understand why Stephen had given him advice on how to impress Abby, back when [Connor] still liked her.

"Yeah, she's cross because you spent the night."

"Did I?"

"Don't you remember?"

"Not really, the last thing I remember is leaving Jenny's." Connor stated.

"Well, you might as well get a shower, Abby will be back shortly with a fresh change of clothes for you." Stephen said after a few moments of silence as he left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

As Connor wandered past Jenny in the lounge that morning, Jenny noticed that his hair looked different and his eyes looked bloodshot.

"Connor, what happened last night?"

"Honestly, it's all a blur." Connor answered.

Much to his dismay, Abby had insisted on putting cover-up on his bruise and brushing his hair to the other side to conceal the bruise; but, if it kept him out of trouble, he was willing to deal with it.

"This morning, I apparently whacked my head off a coffee table, ate a jalapeño, downed a diet Coke, and woke up to freezing cold water in a shower." Connor explained his hand gently touching his head.

"Oh, my God, are you ok?" Jenny asked, placing her hand on Connor's hand that was still held up to his head.

"Yeah, I think I'll survive." Connor replied smiling sheepishly.

Jenny's hand flew back down to her side as Cutter entered the lounge.

"Connor, I need your help with something." Cutter called from the doorway.

"Yep, be right there, Professor. I just gotta grab some coffee." Connor called back, turning around smiling.

Cutter nodded and continued toward the Main Operations Room.

Connor grabbed his coffee and quickly kissed Jenny before dashing off to the Main Operations Room.

* * *

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	7. As The World Falls Down

**Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue!**** ;D**

**Chapter 7****: As The World Falls Down**

"_I will be there for you,_

_As the world falls down_"

**-"As the World Falls Down" by David Bowie**

Cutter emerged from the bunker, blood dripping down the right side of his face, dragging his feet like lead weights.

"Someone give this man medical attention, now!" Lester ordered the paramedics.

Connor stood in between Abby and Jenny, lightly touching Jenny's hand every now and then.

Cutter's eyes glanced over to Connor, causing Connor to stop touching Jenny's hand, and in that moment of eye contact, Connor knew something horrible had happened.

Cutter pushed past the paramedics that were trying to restrain him to tend to his injuries.

"What's wrong?" Jenny asked, beating Connor to the question.

"He's—Stephen's dead." Cutter sobbed.

"Th-that's impossible—you kicked him off the project yourself!" Abby cried. "He's—he's probably sulking in his flat right now!"

Abby turned to start running toward one of the trucks when Cutter's voice stopped her.

"He's lying in pieces in one of the rooms in the bunker because he sacrificed himself to save everyone out here! Helen made him come here!"

Abby dropped to her knees sobbing uncontrollably. She had broken it off completely with Stephen earlier that day when he had shown up at the Mammoth anomaly site with Helen and admitted that he was still secretly having an affair with her.

Connor wanted to comfort his friend; but he felt his legs give way, as he fell to the ground.

_ "You know, it wasn't until you got bitten that I felt that one of us could actually die from doing this. It really upsets me." Connor said with long, borderline sarcastic face._

_ Stephen looked at Connor, with slight concern. "You must have gone through hell." His concerned expression changed to a smile._

_ Connor smirked. "Yep, it did make me think about what's important though. You know, sorts out your priorities a bit. If you get killed can I have your iPod?"_

_ Stephen smirked at that, "we'll see."_

It was just some stupid joke that the pair of them had had between them. The horrible and sickening, ironic fact that Stephen had actually died because of this job was like a kick to the stomach for Connor.

Connor couldn't breathe, he felt as though the weight of the world just fell upon him a billion times harder, crushing him.

Tears running down his face.

Jenny, used to concealing her emotions, didn't stir.

Instead she looked at Cutter and said, "you really need to let the paramedics do their job. You look like you've already lost a ton of blood. Nick, you need stitches."

"I'm fine."

"Move it!" Jenny ordered.

Cutter turned and allowed the paramedics to overwhelm him.

* * *

Jenny dashed over to Lester.

"James, I'm afraid that we've suffered a casualty, besides Leek."

"What could possibly have happened that I don't already know about, Jenny?"

"Stephen's dead. Nick said that Helen had tricked Stephen into coming here and Stephen ended up sacrificing himself."

"I see." Lester spoke solemnly.

"We should send a team in to collect Stephen's remains so that we can hold a funeral." Jenny suggested.

Lester nodded and Jenny returned to Connor. She knelt down beside him and embraced him.

"I'm sorry, Connor." She whispered as he continued to sob.

The last time she'd seen Connor weep was when they thought Abby had been killed a few months ago.

* * *

Lester had one of his men escort Abby and Cutter home. Connor had told Abby that he'd be back at the flat as soon as he could.

Connor and Jenny drove back to Jenny place and entered the flat in silence.

Connor held open the door as Jenny entered first.

Connor gently shut the door and sat down on the couch heavily. Jenny sat down next to him.

"How did this happen?" Jenny whispered.

"I don't understand." Connor replied. "How my best friend could have died today."

Connor couldn't cry anymore today, his eyes were just about completely dry and red.

Jenny leaned against Connor's chest.

"Sometimes, I wish I wasn't quite as strong as I am." Jenny spoke.

"Why, darlin'?"

"It—it's because it's been—it's been far too long since I've cried for anyone or anything." Jenny replied as she broke down, tears spilling over.

Connor turned her to face him, putting his hands on either side of Jenny's face.

"Jenn, I—" Connor wasn't sure what to say as he pulled Jenny's face toward him, crushing their lips together.

Jenny deepened the kiss, knocking Connor's hat off of his head and onto the floor, as she began running her fingers through Connor's hair. Connor did the same, as he pulled her down on top of him on the couch.

Jenny started to unbutton his vest and unzipped his hoodie down to his white t-shirt, while Connor started to unbutton her blouse to her silky white tank top.

However, Jenny's phone rang.

"I should probably answer that." Jenny said between kisses.

"Leave it." Connor answer as he kissed her once more.

But the phone continued to ring relentlessly.

Jenny eventually gave up and answered her phone, buttoning her blouse as she did so.

"Hello?" She asked, trying to keep her breath even.

"We have an anomaly alert." Lester's voice announced. "I need you to round everyone up and head to the ARC at once.

Jenny looked at Connor, who had already begun to put his hoodie and vest back on. "We're on our way."

* * *

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	8. All We Know

**Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue!**** ;D**

**Chapter 8****: All We Know**

As Jenny and Connor drove away from the townhouse, Jenny pulled out her mobile, searching for Cutter and Abby's numbers.

Connor put a hand on Jenny's.

"Maybe…we should handle this on our own. Cutter and Abby have been through enough today." Connor suggested.

"We can't go by ourselves, Connor." Jenny reminded him.

"Then, we'll take backup."

"What about Lester?" Jenny raised an eyebrow.

"We'll deal with it later. Trust me, Cutter and Abby are in no shape to deal with an anomaly alert so soon."

Jenny glanced at Connor as she drove. This decision wouldn't sit well with Lester, but Connor did have a point. Cutter and Abby were not emotionally stable enough to deal with an anomaly this soon.

"Fine." Jenny relented, setting her phone down. "_You_ can call for back up."

"But—"

"It was _your_ idea, Connor. Or would you rather explain to James why it's just us at the anomaly site?"

"I mean, it's not like he's not going to find out about it sooner or later." Connor muttered.

Jenny shot Connor a look before turning her eyes back to the road.

Connor let out a sigh. "I'm on it."

* * *

Cutter sat in his den, slumped on the armchair downing a bottle of whiskey.

_"Stephen, open the door!" Cutter yelled pounding on the deadlocked titanium door as he watched Stephen slowly back away from the door and towards his imminent demise._

_ "Sorry mate, I'm doing this one." Stephen called back._

_ "No, open this door, right now! Open it!" Cutter called back more furious than before as he pounded on the door. "Stephen!"_

_ "Tell Connor and Abby to stay out of trouble." Stephen smirked for the last time as all of the creatures they had previously fought encircled him, but what was far more horrific than his __"silent death,"__ was the indescribable look on his face right before he was torn apart._

Cutter downed another swig.

It was his fault this had happened. He was supposed to stop Stephen; it was his job to make sure something like this had never happened.

He blamed himself for having fired Stephen in the first place.

Cutter couldn't help but think that maybe if he hadn't fired Stephen, the whole thing with the door wouldn't have happened; but it was too late.

Cutter finished the bottle and threw it across the room against the wall.

He felt as if he had now lost everything.

* * *

"James, where is the anomaly site?" Jenny asked over the phone.

"We were there earlier today, Leek's bunker." Lester explained. "Presumably the anomaly is still open. I need the team there to make sure there is no creature incursion. More than likely, it's Helen slipping through another anomaly to nurse her bruised ego."

Jenny looked to Connor, who met her glance.

"We'll be there at the site soon. Back-up is meeting us there, I presume?" Jenny asked over the phone.

"Of course. Just make sure that Cutter doesn't muck anything up during this mission, given the circumstances."

Jenny rolled her eyes. She really wished that he would lay off Cutter considering what had happened earlier today.

"Will do. Goodbye, James." Jenny said hanging up the phone.

* * *

As Connor and Jenny pulled up to the site, something itched at the back of their minds: what had happened between them back at the townhouse a little while earlier.

"Jenny," Connor began as they got out of the car.

"Yeah?"

"About what happened, back at the townhouse, I—"

"It's fine Connor." Jenny cut him off. "We were both overcome with emotion."

"We—yeah, emotionally overcome." Connor mumbled.

"We can talk about it later; but right now, we've got a job to do." Jenny said, trying to disperse the awkwardness.

"Yeah, sure." Connor smiled.

They walked up to the small band of military men that Lester had sent them.

One of the military men handed Jenny a gun.

"Where are the others?" He asked.

"They are to upset by today's events that they were unable to make it. It's just Connor and myself." Jenny explained.

"Does Lester know?" The soldier asked.

"Actually, we'd prefer it if Lester didn't find out about this, yeah?" Connor interjected.

The soldier nodded and handed Connor the handheld anomaly detector and Jenny a gun.

"Where's my gun?" Connor asked.

"Connor, you don't know how to fire a gun; and the last time you were given a gun, you shot someone." Jenny explained.

"Come on, Jenny, it's just us. Besides, if something comes at us, what am I supposed to do? Point the anomaly detector at it and hope it backs off, running away scared?" Connor whined.

Jenny looked back at the soldier. "Hand him a gun."

Connor did a fist pump and pulled Jenny into a hug.

"Ah! You won't regret this." He promised.

"I hope not. But tomorrow, you'll start training to learn how to properly hit a target." Jenny replied.

Connor gulped and nodded. "Yep."

"Alright, now that that is sorted, let's go in and find this anomaly." Jenny announced.

* * *

As they entered the building, Jenny started to worry that Helen may not be finished with the team and had something to do with the anomaly that brought them here.

Because, after all, once you've been with the ARC for a certain amount of time, you can't believe that everything comes down to coincidence anymore.

* * *

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